An all-potato diet: 8 years later

Chris Voigt made national and international news when, for two whole months, he ate nothing but potatoes.

It’s been eight years since Voigt, the executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, embarked on his 20-potatoes-a-day diet. From the start of October through November in 2010, Voigt consumed only spuds, a few basic seasonings and small amounts of oil for cooking. His endeavor drew attention from NBC’s Today Show, CBS News, Fox, NPR and the UK’s Daily Telegraph.

Voigt documented his journey through a blog (20potatoesaday.com). Tired of potatoes getting a bad rap as being nothing but fattening starch and carbs, he wanted to make a statement that proved potatoes were very nutritious.

While Voigt wasn’t attempting to create a fad diet and doesn’t recommend anyone trying to survive solely on one food, he did come out a healthier man when the diet was over and he proved his point: potatoes are pretty darn good for you.

Spudman caught up with Voigt to reflect on the diet and how public perception of potatoes is changing.